FIFA Member Association Referees Course Successfully Concluded

The five-day training program for Nigeria’s intermediate referees will culminate with a closing ceremony at the NFF/FIFA Goal Project, MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, on Friday.

Throughout the week, 40 participants engaged in comprehensive classroom sessions covering various critical topics, including penalty-area incidents, tactical fouls, recovery strategies, offside, handball, and challenges faced by referees.

The course began on Monday with a fitness test, followed by a clear outline of the course objectives and a video presentation on modern refereeing techniques.

Additionally, the training included on-field sessions and mini-matches with players, aimed at equipping the referees with practical experience and preparing them for progression to the elite level.

On Friday morning, there will be a concluding session on the practical training, as well as a presentation on the new concept for match preparation, before the closing ceremony that commences at 2.30pm.

The overall objectives of the course include identifying, harnessing and nurturing refereeing potentials inherent in the participants, instituting a sustainable development trend through the Young Talent Program, establishing a corp of talented young referees for national and international refereeing programs and ensuring continuous growth and development of refereeing in Nigeria.

The program has been superintended by two FIFA instructors, namely former FIFA referee Felix Tangawarima from Zimbabwe (FIFA Senior Technical Instructor and COSAFA VAR Project Manager) and Mark Mzengo from Malawi (FIFA Fitness Instructor).

On Sunday, 7th July, another five-day course, this time for Nigeria’s elite referees, will commence at the NFF/FIFA Goal Project, MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja. The principal objective of this course, which will also involve 40 participants, is to generally improve the lot of Nigeria’s foremost arbiters.